FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT MANIPUR - PAGE 2

IMPHAL: A bomb blast took place at Koirengei in Manipur's Imphal West district at 10.50 am today. Police said the bomb was planted allegedly by insurgents on the roadside. There was, however, no report of any casualty, the police added.

IMHPAL: Normal life was affected in Manipur due to the 12-hour general strike called by BJP and Left parties against the diesel price hike, FDI in multi-brand retail and ceiling on subsidised LPG. Markets, business establishments, educational institutions and entertainment houses remained closed while attendance in government offices was almost nil, reports said. Buses, taxis and private vehicles were off the roads as also transport services between Manipur and neighbouring states, the reports said.

GUWAHATI: Manipur will procure 50,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar during the current fiscal to tide over the shortfall of rice production in the state. Though rice is one of the tradable items under the Indo-Myanmar Trade Agreement, signed in '94, import was not allowed due to surplus rice production in the North-East. Under the bilateral agreement between India and Myanmar, items including mustard seed, pulses and beans, fresh vegetables, fruits, garlic, onion, chillies, bamboo, minor forest products, betel nuts and leaves, food items for local consumption, tobacco, tomato, reed broom, sesame, resin coriander seeds, soyabean, roasted sunflower seeds, katha and ginger are traded through the border outpost of Moreh and Tamu.

IMPHAL: Normal life was affected in Manipur today due to a 18-hour general strike called by major insurgents organisations. The Coordination Committee (CORCOM), formed by seven major insurgent organisations, has been calling a general strike on every October 15 for past some years to protest merger of Manipur with India. Educational institutions, banks and several private offices were closed, while government offices were open but attendance was affected as buses did not run, official reports said.

IMPHAL: Movement of goods along the national and state highways has been crippled in Manipur due to an economic blockade enforced by a hill-based committee in support of their demands. A spokesman of the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) said the economic blockade began from 5 PM last evening to press for their demand for a 'Kukiland' by reorganising Manipur. Reports from the hill district headquarters said not a single vehicle carrying goods plied between Imphal and hill district headquarters and Imphal and neighbouring states because of the economic blockade.

IMPHAL: The government of insurgency hit Manipur has decided to implement schemes to promote tourism in the state to improve its sagging economy. As a part of the plan, the government would set up a hotel management institute, the first of its kind in the state, at Nungsai Chiru in Bishenpur district with the Centre's help, Tourism Minister T N Haokip said. Pointing out that Manipur has potential for development of tourism industry, Haokip said he has submitted 17 projects to the Union tourism minister Ambika Soni recently.

NEW DELHI: Manipur saw an impressive 84% turnout in the state polls held on Saturday even as a suspected NSCN(I-M) insurgent attacked a polling station in Chandel, killing seven persons, including a CRPF personnel. The militant was also killed in the retaliatory fire. Manipur chief electoral officer P C Lawmkunga told ET that the turnout at 5 pm was estimated at 84%. As suspected NSCN(I-M) militants attacked a polling station in Sugnu assembly constituency of Chandel district in attempted booth capturing, six persons including a CRPF personnel, three polling staff and two civilians were killed.

IMPHAL: The Centre today said it may consider imposing President's Rule in Manipur if situation in the militancy-affected state worsens. Union Minister of State for Defence M M Palam Raju said that as of now there is no move to impose President's Rule in Manipur. "The Centre may consider it if situation in the militancy-affected state worsens," he said, adding other options might also be considered. Raju was speaking at a function at Sainik School at Palgei, about 10 kms from here.

IMPHAL: An indefinite blockade, launched by a Kuki organisation today, affected routine life in the hill and valley areas in Manipur. Official reports said markets, shops and other establishments were closed in the Kuki-settled areas in the state because of the blockade called by the Kuki State Demand Committee to press for dividing Manipur into small states along ethnic lines. Reports said hundreds of daily wage earners at several places in the state were out of work as vehicles did not ply on roads, including the national highways.

NEW DELHI:BJP on Monday said despite the lifting of the economic blockade in Manipur the situation there was grim and demanded that the Centre make arrangements to airlift essential commodities and medicines to the state as these were in very short supply. "The situation in Manipur is becoming worse day by day. It is very serious. There are reports that fuel and essential supplies there will last for only one more day. We demand that the government airlift essential commodities, fuel and medicines to the state within 24 hours," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.